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Design Lines – Lightening The Look
By Pamela Hughes
One of the pleasures of life is simplification. As the world itself seems to be moving faster and becoming more complicated, the sanctuary of our homes is our place to restore peace, quiet and balance.
Paired with making more time for ourselves is the possibility of making our homes more serene and welcoming. And that is what we will be focusing on this month.
Particularly, as one retires or is just coming to a second or part-time home, the ease of one’s life there, with minimal upkeep or effort, is important. One of the ways we make our homes more restful is to not fill them with clutter.
[2]Those who are familiar with the ancient Oriental practice of Feng Shui know that the cleaning out of clutter is one of the main principles of this school of thought. Another one is that you should only own articles that are either functional or beautiful. These two principles alone will lighten your spaces.
Good design allows the eyes to rest. Another way to lighten up your home is to place pieces of furniture and art so that they have some space between them. They then become more important without visual competition with your other furnishings.
The space between objects not only makes a room seem larger and more spacious, but the objects themselves then have a greater impact in the feel of the whole room.
Another way to lighten room is to create neutral walls and ceilings so that your art and furnishings catch your eye rather than forcing them to compete with a bold or patterned background.
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One of the trade secrets of good design is simply editing. For example, we often pare down the amount of accessories we use. A simple fine bowl for a table, rather than a collection of objects, however interesting, often pleases us more.
On the other hand, one of the things we have found most effective when we have clients with collections of objects is to group the objects together. A whole series of disparate objects is not nearly as intriguing as a table or shelf of the same thing. Then you can compare their differences and similarities, and notice the variety of shape, style, color and finish of each object. When they are scattered throughout a home they lose the impact they can have when grouped together. Whether they are a series of prints, a collection of art glass paperweights, perfume bottles or porcelains, all are enhanced by their own company in a group.
[4]To create a peaceful and restful space, try to weed out the unnecessary and keep the personally important. Much of this is just organization. Sometimes it is very freeing to just get rid of things. Another tenet of Feng Shui is that keeping the things you don’t really need can hold you down or slow you down. By removing things that are not important, you make room for things that are important. Whether you believe in Feng Shui or not, you will be rewarded with light and space and that terrific feeling of order and peace that we all enjoy.
Pamela Hughes, the founder and owner of Hughes Design Associates, is well known nationally and internationally. Hughes Design Associates is one of the premier interior design firms known throughout North America for specializing in prestigious custom interiors. In Sarasota, Pamela has completed many exceptional projects including The Ritz-Carlton, The Members’ Beach Club, The Tower Residences, and Plaza at Five Points. Her portfolio also includes some of the most luxurious and distinctive residences in Sarasota. Pamela’s work has been published in the best interior design magazines such as Architectural Digest and Veranda, as well as numerous other publications. Also, Home and Garden Television (HGTV) featured her in the program, “Public Places, Private Spaces”, showcasing her work on the Four Seasons Hotel, Philadelphia, and a luxurious private home in Chicago. In addition to their work in Sarasota, Pamela and her firm design projects throughout the US, Canada, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Pamela maintains offices in Sarasota, Florida and McLean, Virginia (Washington D.C.) and may be reached at 941.922.4767. Visit www.hughesdes.com [5] for more information.
Read the REAL Magazine story on interior designer Pamela Hughes by clicking here. [6]
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